Evil Beneath Innocence
by Mikoto Zoku
Summary: [Complete] Found by the Zephonim, a young woman is taken to Kain. Her identity and her past are unknown to the vampires. Seemingly psychotic, she shows no fear of her captors.
1. Chapter One

Evil Beneath Innocence  
  
The lieutenants had gathered at the Sanctuary of the Clans. Their lord and master, Kain, sat upon his throne with mild interest in the reason for this congregation. Seven sets of piercing, golden eyes stared intently upon the grand double doors that served as the only entrance to the council room, the very room that housed the crippled remains of the fallen pillars of Nosgoth.  
  
The doors opened, and two Zephonim fledglings entered, escorting a lone, human female. As she was marched forward, her head remained bowed down, typically a sign one would show after having been broken after severe torture. She was unarmed, thus she remained unbound. She was found to be of no threat, especially within the company of Kain and all his lieutenants. The fledges lead her to the threshold of the pillar base, then quietly retreated, bowing as they paced backwards, never turning their backs towards their masters.  
  
Kain scrutinized the rogue female. Her clothing seemed odd, but he couldn't decipher their style due to the dirt and wear her garments had endured over the past who-knows-how-many days. But he could determine this: she bore no armor. Not a scrap of cloth on her body was designed to protect her from battle. From what Kain could assess, the only purpose her garments possessed was that of modesty.  
  
She puzzled Kain. She was a wild, feral human, found wandering the Zephonim clan lands. She was not an escaped slave and she was much too far from the human citadel to have belonged there. So where had she come from? She couldn't have survived the wilds of Nosgoth her entire life. For a human to remain hidden in the wilderness from the vampire armies for (based upon how old she appeared) nearly twenty years had been deemed impossible. Her scent would have been discovered by even the newest fledges.  
  
For that reason, and the reason that she appeared too healthy also argued against the theory that she had lived in the wilds. The Zephonim had found no trace of any shelter the girl might have used. Nothing at all, not a single shred of proof that she had existed at all in Nosgoth. Zephon had reported to his sire that the girl had refused to speak. She had withstood all manners of torture he could conjure, short of actually killing her. She remained a complete mystery.  
  
And suddenly, she lifted her head, just enough for her to make eye contact with the vampire dictator. Dirty, blonde hair swept away from her face. Her features were smudged with dirt. She sported a fat lip and long- dried trickles of blood marked her hairline. But her eyes disturbed Kain. Blue-gray eyes pierced his gaze. Blue-gray eyes, that despite three days of torment, remained defiant and seemingly, psychotic. Perhaps she wasn't completely unharmed by the tortures. Or maybe, she really was feral.  
  
She took a small step forward, and then a second. Though she staggered ever so slightly, her penetrating stare never faltered from Kain's amber eyes. Step after step, she made no effort to lift her head any further than she needed to. Her arms remained dead weight at her sides. Her back and shoulders remained slumped as she approached the vampire king.  
  
The lieutenants hissed and bared their fangs at her as she passed each one. They were openly displeased with her obvious disrespect towards the almighty Kain. Had it not been for their respect for their master and his authority, each one of them would have torn her throat out in an instant for such audacity. However, the girl paid no heed to any of the lieutenants, furthering their ire for her. Even in Kain's company, the noble vampire sons were not to be ignored.  
  
As she passed by Raziel and Turel, the two lieutenants closest to Kain, she made no indication that she was about to halt in her approach. A wicked grin slowly crept upon her face as she neared the lord. Kain, who up until this point had been absent-mindedly twirling the hilt of the Soul Reaver within his claws, subconsciously tightened his grip around the weapon, having been slightly disturbed by the strange woman's psychotic approach.  
  
Just when Kain thought the girl would never cease her steps, she did just that. Five feet from the throne, she halted her progress. She flashed a wide, menacing grin, outlined in her dried blood, towards the vampire. Finally, she lifted her head fully, so that the master vampire could better see her face. Despite a black eye and a bruised jaw line, the girl's eyes danced with malice. And then, for the first time, the vampires heard her speak. And they found her voice to be just as ominous as her expression.  
  
"Hello, Kain. I am Aisha. Welcome to your worst nightmare."  
  
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Hmm... I'm not sure where I'm gonna go with this. I've just been playing around with this scene in my head for a while. What I do know is that I am basing Aisha off of my bizarre, lesser-seen side. Like I say in my profile, people view me as all sweet and innocent, but I'm not as pure as people believe me to be, hence the title to this fic. Hehehe... Anyway, let me know what you think...please? 


	2. Chapter Two

Evil Beneath Innocence  
  
"Hello, Kain. I am Aisha. Welcome to your worst nightmare."  
  
The vampire lord narrowed his eyes as he glared at the insane woman. Surely she was not referring to herself as his 'worst nightmare'. A pathetic, weak, mortal such as she could not possibly be of any threat to even the weakest vampire.  
  
Amused, Kain decided to play into her declaration. "Do tell me, Aisha, what my worst nightmare could possibly be. Indulge my curiosity. Explain to me, what it is that I do not already know. Tell me, what I cannot, have not, already foreseen."  
  
Aisha lowered her head once more, her eyes hidden behind a curtain of blonde hair. A quiet chuckle escaped her lips. As her mirth rose, her shoulders and back shook slightly with her laughter. Kain snarled his lips at her display. Before he could interrupt her merriment, her laughing ceased and her head snapped back up to attention.  
  
"You haven't the slightest clue, do you? That all you hope to gain, to accomplish, to achieve, is entirely preordained? You, the so-called ruler of Nosgoth, the one being, who upon this pitiful world should have the most freedom, are the one with the least bit of say in your destiny, your fate?"  
  
"And what makes you think otherwise? What is it that says I cannot do as I wish, that I cannot chose my own destiny? You? A mere mortal? I think not. I can run you through faster than you can recall your mother's face."  
  
Again, Aisha laughed at Kain's ignorance. "No, it is not by my decisions how your fate unfolds. It is by a force; unseen, unheard, and unknown to you that controls your fate. You can try to deny it, but you cannot stop it. You are nothing more than a mere pawn."  
  
At these words, Kain sprang from his seat upon the throne. Faster than Aisha could blink, the vampire had wrapped a massive clawed hand around her throat. She choked slightly under the tight grip, but the lord had left just enough passage for air to pass into her lungs. Lifted off the ground by her neck, Aisha instantly wrapped her much smaller hands around Kain's wrists, attempting to ease the tension from her throat. Despite the life-threatening situation, her eyes were void of fear.  
  
At the sudden reaction, the lieutenants were both amused and afraid. They had been anticipating punishment upon the girl. She deserved far worse. But at the same time, they had not witnessed this much anger from their master in quite some time. They only hoped that their sire would not turn his ire towards them.  
  
"I am no one's pawn," Kain growled into Aisha's ear. "Not here. Not now. Not ever!"  
  
"If that thought... helps put... you to sleep..." the blonde gasped between breaths before trailing off.  
  
Kain gritted his teeth, glaring into her glazing eyes. With lack of oxygen, her focus had begun to falter. The psychotic gleam in her eyes softened and her grin faded. With her face turning a dark red, she could no longer hold onto her withering grasp on consciousness. Her eyes rolled up into the back of her head as she passed out.  
  
Kain disgustedly dropped the weak human upon the ground and turned back towards his throne. The lieutenants remained silent, not daring to draw their master's wrath towards them. Each wondered what would come of the daring girl, who had openly defied the strongest being on all of Nosgoth. She was still alive, and all of the lieutenants would be honored to rid the vampire lord of her existence.  
  
Kain stopped just before his throne, and cast a glance over his right shoulder. "What are you waiting for?" he called to no one in particular. "Lock her away in the dungeons. And do be careful with her. I want still want some answers from her."  
  
Jumping at their lord's command, Raziel and Turel retrieved Aisha's prone form and dragged her towards the exit. With his wish obeyed, Kain disappeared in a brief flash of light; his teleportation spell taking him to a location unknown. At the lord's departure, the remaining lieutenants understood this as their dismissal.  
  
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"Have a nice night, Mrs. Scott!"  
  
"Goodnight, Aisha. Goodnight, Erik."  
  
"G'night, Mrs. Scott."  
  
"Oh, and be careful driving home! The roads are very slippery tonight!"  
  
"Thank you, Aisha. You do the same. See you tomorrow."  
  
The middle-aged woman left the store, climbed into her car and pulled out of the tiny plaza parking lot. The two younger adults remained behind, watching through the store's windows as the taillights of their employer's vehicle faded into the night.  
  
"Aisha, you disgust me," Erik whined in an irritated voice as he turned from the window.  
  
"And why's that?" she asked, ever so sweetly while she retagged clearance merchandise.  
  
"Because... People think you're this innocent girl, especially Mrs. Scott. And it sickens me. But I know you better than that. I bet when you were showing concern for her safety, you were probably wishing the opposite."  
  
"Ah, Erik. You know me too well. But it would serve her right... promising us that she wouldn't open the store today, then two weeks later telling us that we were scheduled to work."  
  
"And on Christmas Eve, nonetheless. We have had barely a dozen customers in here all day, yet she insists that we stay open until eleven. Why is this worth our time? We should be at home with our families like everyone else! Like she's doing right now!"  
  
"Yes, but Erik, we're also being paid overtime. And we have had more than a dozen customers. You know that."  
  
"We should have just called in," he replied in a depressed tone. "What time is it anyway?"  
  
"'Bout six."  
  
"Damn it. My family is probably sitting down to dinner right now. I'm going on a break to get something to eat. Want anything?" Erik inquired as he set a box of merchandise down on a counter.  
  
"No thanks. I'm not quite hungry yet."  
  
"Alright."  
  
Erik walked behind the counter and passed through the 'employees only' door that led to the stockroom and beyond that, the employee lounge. With Erik out of the room, Aisha let out a depressed sigh of her own. She tried to remain in good spirits around Erik to try and cheer him up, but sometimes it was difficult to brighten the mood of those who get over stressed about every little detail.  
  
As Aisha placed the last of the holiday DVD's she had marked down back upon its shelf, she heard the bell that hung above the door ring behind her, indicating a customer had entered the store. She watched the tall man walk to the far end of the store, seemingly interested in the digital cameras on display. She turned her attention to the snowy streets outside. Judging by the hooded winter coat, baseball hat, and gloves the man wore, Aisha gathered that it was quite a frigid Christmas Eve, and she was glad to be out of the cold.  
  
Aisha went to the counter and grabbed the box of merchandise Erik had been previously stocking. Taking the box of CDRW's to the shelf, she began refilling the empty space. In the corner of her eye, she saw the customer move over to the computer software rack, but she paid him little attention. If and when he needed assistance, he would ask her for it. She usually wasn't one to bother people, even if it was her job to assist customers.  
  
What Aisha didn't notice, was that the man had been watching her. Pretending to be last minute shopping, he had been scoping the store, waiting to see if all was clear. Naïve little Aisha didn't realize the customer's intentions that night at Electronics & Entertainment was not as pure as she would have expected otherwise.  
  
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Coughing, Aisha woke up from her unnatural slumber. She slowly sat herself up off the dirt-covered floor. Rubbing her neck, she knew that she had three fresh bruises on her neck, courtesy of the vampire lord. Looking around, she saw several other humans were sitting or lying up against walls in the room surrounding her. She noticed then, that her legs had been chained to the wall behind her.  
  
Aisha leaned against the wall behind her. The dungeon cell she found herself in was quite large. Torches poorly lit the room, but she could see three humans shackled to each wall of the room. In the center was a large wooden table, adorned with several strangely shaped objects, but Aisha could guess that they were tools for torture. The room was almost silent; the sounds of prisoners' coughing or moaning were the only noise. The air felt damp, causing the cell to smell of mildew and dust, making seem hard to breathe.  
  
"Ah, so the foolish wench has finally woken!"  
  
Aisha turned her attention towards the entryway to see an elite vampire staring at her. He stood just within the shadows, so she could not determine any distinguishing features. But his eyes briefly flashed a red glow, clearly indicating his age. Aisha refrained from replying to the vampire's comment. Instead, she chose to glare defiantly at the guard as he approached her.  
  
Unshackling her ankles, he sneered, "The master has been anticipating your company,"  
  
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Okay, I figured out my story. And finally I am able to update. **grumble** Stupid job... taking me away from valuable writing time. Okay, time for review responses, since I got a few already.  
  
COAD: Hmmm... Maybe. It's still kind of open what could happen. I guess you'll just have find out.  
  
Spectral Sereda: Yes, Aisha is a bit odd. But so am I sometimes. I'm glad you think I described her approach well.  
  
AquaSword: Thank you! I'm glad you like it.  
  
TaleSpinner: Thanks for the review. Hope you like chapter two.  
  
Dark-Sephiroth: Call me modest, but I never thought my writing skills were that good. I'm glad you like this, and 'Bane and Ambition'. I've kind of put that one on hiatus for now. Didn't like where it was going, but I'm thinking of starting it over. Zidane's Grand Lethal is my favorite. I beat Ozma the third time I played FFIX. But Penance and Zanmato? There's nothing mentioned of those two weapons in the U.S. version. Perhaps they are called different here in the states?  
  
Okay, I'll be working on chapter three soon. But until then, let me know what you think. I welcome reviews with open arms! And now...  
  
Mikoto's Quote of the Week!  
  
"It's not my outer evil that you should be afraid of. It's my inner evil lurking deep within that you should be worried about." **cue insane laughter** 


	3. Chapter Three

Evil Beneath Innocence  
  
"The master has been expecting your company," the vampire sneered as he unshackled Aisha's ankles.  
  
With the close proximity to the guard, Aisha determined that this vampire must be of the Dumahim clan. His large musculature and wolfish appearance were defining features of Dumah's children. As the metal bonds were removed from her legs, Aisha was roughly hefted to her feet. With a forceful shove, the Dumahim directed her towards the exit.  
  
A few of the conscious prisoners watched silently as the human and her escort passed by. Had they not been more concerned for their own well-beings, they may have felt sorry for the girl who would soon be facing the almighty Kain. Aisha might have been concerned herself, had she not the knowledge she alone on this world possessed. She knew Kain would be intrigued by what knowledge she would have, try as he might to deny his curiosity. Her current situation was enough to prove Kain's interest.  
  
As Aisha was led outside the dungeon, a second guard, this one a Rahabim, joined the escort. The Rahabim flanked Aisha's right while the Dumahim took her left. Having no choice, Aisha silently followed their lead down the torch-lined corridor, constructed entirely of stone. The torches offered little light for comfort, and even less warmth in the chilling atmosphere. As they proceeded through the stronghold, Aisha couldn't help but reflect upon how she had come to find herself in her current predicament.  
  
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She couldn't remember what had happened during the few moments beforehand. Whenever she tried to bring up any memory of her arrival, she was granted no more than a fuzzy haze. But for reasons unknown, she had found herself alone, surrounded by a massive forest. Normally, this would not strike her as odd, considering that she grew up in the countryside. Behind her home was a small forest, which she often explored as a child. However, the forest around her now created a dreadful feeling within the pit of her stomach.  
  
When Aisha had woken, she found herself lying on the forest floor. She sat up, feeling a bit disorientated, but a quick stretch of her limbs relieved her of that sensation. Standing, she took a moment to observe her surroundings. She found the forest around her to be dying. The trees were mere shadows of their former beauty. The little foliage the forest had to offer was brown and sickly with disease.  
  
The forest was eerily quiet. Few animals inhabited these woods. The only residents were a few crows perched silently upon the highest branches of the dying flora. Aisha wondered what could cause a forest to decay in its entirety like this one. Even after the most devastating of forest fires, plant life would thrive once again. Survival of nature actually depended on such an occurrence. However, a more tragic fate seemed to have burdened this land.  
  
Unfamiliar with her surroundings, Aisha aimed to find a road that could perhaps take her into town. She'd be able to get her bearings from there, figuring out where she was and how she had gotten there. Aisha was uncertain how far she was from the nearest road, or how long it would take to get to it. Needing to know how much travel time she had until sunset, she looked to the sky to gauge the sun's position. Luck was not on her side.  
  
The image of the sky contributed to her ominous surroundings. Thick yellow-gray clouds blanketed the atmosphere. Not a single beam of direct sunlight passed through the pollutants. It was obvious these gaseous clouds were not natural. It was no wonder the forest surrounding Aisha was dying. With no sunlight to nurture the vegetation, the plants would wither.  
  
And Aisha spotted the source of the suffocating toxins in the atmosphere. To the north, several columns of thick, black smoked billowed up into the sky. The sight sickened her. Who would deliberately pollute the sky like that? It was as if the perpetrators intended to eradicate the sun. At the thought, Aisha paused a moment, for the idea seemed familiar for some reason, but she quickly dismissed it.  
  
Even though Aisha believed the chimneys of smoke climbing into the air to be evil, she had to admit one benefit to the vile plumes of poison. The smoke provided to her a beacon to civilization. Where there was smoke, there were fires. And where there were fires, there were people manning them. The most logical option was to head north.  
  
After a few hours of traveling by foot, Aisha had come to realize that perhaps she had greatly underestimated the distance between the smoke and herself. She had at least hoped to come across a road or highway or something by now. But not a single sign of civilization had presented itself to her. Aisha's only reprieve was in the form of a cool spring that she had luckily stumbled upon.  
  
The girl knelt down beside the clear water and cupped some of it into her hand, drawing it to her parched mouth. The sky had darkened some since she had first set out on her quest. She now realized that when she started, it had been far later in the day than she had hoped. Knowing she would not reach a town before dark, Aisha decided she best find shelter for the night.  
  
Taking one last refreshing sip of water, she returned to her feet. In the dimming light, and the thickening fog, Aisha scanned her surroundings in search of a safe place to rest. Unexpectedly, she barely heard the quiet snapping of a branch in the distance. The sound reverberated off the surrounding trees, making it impossible for her to decipher its origins. After a few moments of silence, another crack was heard. This one a bit louder and closer.  
  
Aisha's heart leapt in her chest. She could tell that the sounds were that of footsteps. Finally, after all these hours she would be found. They would take her into the nearest town and from there she could use a payphone to get a ride home. Believing the sound originated from her right, she turned in that direction, trying to focus her eyes in the faltering light. But Aisha had forgotten that when noise echoes, it sounds louder from the opposite direction of its origin. So as Aisha studied the tree line patiently, she did not notice the three travelers sneak up behind her.  
  
"Ah, now what have we here? Don't you believe it is a bit late for one such as yourself to be wandering about unprotected?" the leader of the travelers asked with intimidation.  
  
Aisha spun around to face the three, completely taken by surprise. They had strolled right up behind her, and she didn't even realize it. She was about to reply to the leader's comment, when she noticed their features and attire. All three were as pale as snow. Gold eyes reflected what little light the night provided. Instead of five digits, their hands possessed three sharp claws. They wore leather trousers, shoulder and leg guards and sheathed broadswords. Aisha could not believe her eyes. She was looking straight at a trio of vampires.  
  
"It appears as though you have frightened her, Eli," the vampire on Aisha's left chuckled.  
  
"No. Not necessarily," replied the third vampire from behind the first two. He took a few steps forward to better scrutinize the girl.  
  
Curious, Eli requested, "Elaborate, Jabin."  
  
"Odd. She is not afraid. Confused perhaps. And I sense a growing irritation within her."  
  
Jabin's words were truer that Aisha wanted to admit. She was completely baffled at first. How did she come to find herself face to face with three vampires? Vampires did not exist. They are creatures out of horror stories meant to scare little children. But then they began to annoy her. The vampires openly conversed between themselves about her as if she couldn't hear what they were saying. They spoke as if they thought of her as a lesser being.  
  
"What would you like us to do with her, Eli?" the one called Malachi inquired for some unknown reason, and a little too anxiously for Aisha's liking.  
  
"If I might make a suggestion," Jabin interrupted.  
  
Aisha turned her head and looked over her left shoulder at the perceptive vampire. Too caught up in her own thoughts and at Malachi's question, she hadn't noticed him sneak around behind her. She watched the silent predator as he strode past her and towards the other two. She ventured to guess that this 'Eli' had a higher ranking than 'Malachi' and 'Jabin', based upon how they looked to him for guidance.  
  
"You may," Eli granted.  
  
"She is in excellent health. Exceptionally clean, well nourished, and free of disease. It would be a shame to waste her. I suggest we bring her back to the master."  
  
"Yes, that would be a wise decision, as we have come up empty handed thus far."  
  
At this turn of events, Aisha was fuming mad. How dare they talk about her and make plans for her as if she didn't have an opinion! She was so irate; she didn't know which one to begin with: Malachi for his questionable interest in her, Jabin for his suggested uses for her, or Eli for agreeing with Jabin and determining her fate.  
  
"Malachi, take her captive. We will bestow her as a gift to Lord Zephon."  
  
Aisha's eyes widened suddenly at Eli's instructions. She couldn't believe what he had just said. It was not the capturing part that shocked her. It was the words 'Lord Zephon' that took her by surprise. She recognized that name! But his words couldn't be true! She couldn't possibly be here! But it all strangely made sense. The vampires, the claws, the dead forest, the smoggy sky... Could she really possibly be on- ?  
  
Before Aisha could finish her thought, Malachi had delivered a sharp blow to the back of her head, rendering her unconscious. Her eyes fluttered shut and as she began to slump towards the ground, Malachi had grabbed her around the waist and hefted her over his shoulder. The trio of vampires resumed their trek towards their clan's stronghold, the cathedral, long ago silenced.  
  
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Aisha was escorted to two finely crafted wooden doors, much smaller than those that served as the entrance to the Pillar room. She was not certain where the guards had taken her. The Rahabim opened one of the double doors and waited for her to enter. She stared at him a moment, studying his movements. He, nor the Dumahim, made a move to enter the dim chamber within. Obviously they were not meant to go any further.  
  
Left with no other choice, Aisha stepped through the entrance with confidence. Upon entering, her attention was instantly drawn to the only other occupant of the room: Kain. His back was to her, as he gazed out the center of three windows at the far side of the chamber. Crossing her arms and glaring at his back, she waited silently for him to address her.  
  
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Ah, I finally finished this chapter. Took me long enough. I came across this small writer's block for a while there. I really hate when that happens. Like right now... I can't think of what else to put into my little authoress' notes. Hmm... Oh! I would like to thank COAD, Sereda, Tabris, and AquaSword for their reviews! Thank you much! 


	4. Chapter Four

Evil Beneath Innocence  
  
Chapter Four  
  
Aisha waited quietly for Kain to acknowledge her presence. As the silent seconds passed by, she grew increasingly impatient. The vampire lord had summoned for her. It was not her choosing to be here. And now he pretends to ignore her. Aisha was not about to approach him first. He was the one who wanted something from her, so he would have to ask her for it, not the other way around.  
  
While waiting for Kain to react, Aisha's eyes could not help but roam the chamber she had been placed in. Kain stood in front of the middle of three large, arched windows. Each window was trimmed with long, flowing red velvet drapes that cascaded from the high ceiling all the way down to the floor. The thick drapes were fully open to allow the night air to enter the chamber. The walls of this room, like the rest of the sanctuary, were construed entirely of smooth stone.  
  
A long, wooden table stood between Aisha and Kain. The length ran across the room from Aisha's left to her right. Three cushioned chairs flanked each side of the table and another stood at the head. Aisha's needn't guess whom these seats were meant for. Upon the table, only a single canvas lie stretched out upon its surface. Aisha couldn't see what exactly had been inscribed on it from her viewpoint.  
  
A few feet behind the head seat, a large stone fireplace stood. The mantle was tall and wide, providing enough space for a cozy fire to burn. However, it appeared to Aisha that it had been many years since the fireplace had been used for purpose other than decor. There were no logs in or around the fireplace, not even a stick of kindling. A thick layer of dust had settled inside as well.  
  
Above the mantle, mounted on the wall, was a large golden shield. A red insignia had been engraved into the metal. This was Kain's symbol, Aisha knew. From behind the shield, the ends of two silver swords revealed themselves. Behind the shield, the blades crossed over each other. From above Kain's coat-of-arms, more of the red drapery flowed downward from the ceiling. Lengths of the fabric were pulled neatly to each side of the mantelpiece before it was allowed to fall freely to the floor.  
  
On the left wall, opposite the fireplace, was a widespread map depicting Nosgoth in its entirety. Aisha imagined that the vampires must have spent much time exploring each of their clan lands to have depicted the geography in such detail. The few maps of Nosgoth she had seen didn't even compare to this one. On each side of the map, were plain-looking wooden doors. Where they led, Aisha was not sure.  
  
"I presume you know why I have summoned you here," Kain replied calmly as he slowly turned to face his guest. He watched her as she silently glared at him. Taking a few steps towards her, he continued.  
  
"Your earlier declarations have intrigued me. I had intended on discovering your secrets on my own, but to no avail. It seems you have hidden your knowledge quite well. And since your insight has not been revealed to me through other methods, I shall gladly resort to forcing the information from you myself."  
  
Kain made to close the gap between Aisha and himself when a quiet chuckle escaped the girl's lips. The vampire lord paused in his advance, curious to the reasons for Aisha's unexpected change in demeanor. He had just threatened her, possibly with her life, and here she was laughing back at him!  
  
"What, pray tell, do you think you could possibly do to me that Zephon hasn't already?" Aisha inquired, referring to the three days of torture she endured while in Zephon's custody. "Do you honestly think that beating and torturing the answers from me will be any easier than relying on the Oracle's caves for intuition?" For three days Aisha had been beaten, and for three days she refused to speak a single word.  
  
"How do you know about the Oracle's caves?" the vampire lord demanded in a quiet, yet deep voice.  
  
Aisha didn't reply, but a knowing grin spread across her face. Kain scowled. Until now, only he knew of the Oracle's caves. Not even his lieutenants, not even Raziel, his most trusted ally, knew about Moebius's ancient sanctuary. But not only did she know about it, but she also knew that's where he had gone after their previous conversation.  
  
"You've been there before, haven't you?" Kain suspected. How else would Aisha have attained her knowledge? She must have visited the caves at least once before in her life.  
  
"Yes. In a sense, I have been there before."  
  
"And what do you mean by that?" insisted the vampire lord, growing impatient. "Either you have, or you have not."  
  
"I have visited the caves of the Oracle on several occasions. It is always under the same circumstances. The same path is always explored; the same actions are always taken. The same scenes are always played out."  
  
"A dream, then. Or a vision. Is that how you've discovered the caves?"  
  
"No. I've seen the Oracle's caves through the eyes of another. But rest assured Kain, not through your eyes." Aisha replied after noticing a moment of uncertainty on the lord's face. "However, I am not the only one who has witnessed these events."  
  
A deep chuckle rose from Kain's chest. "If not through my eyes, then whose? In almost a millennia, only I have knowledge of Moebius' ancient time streaming device. How is it then, that you, and supposed countless others, have bared witness to a place as secluded as the Oracle's caves?"  
  
"Raziel."  
  
"Raziel?"  
  
"Yes. Raziel."  
  
"Raziel has shown you the caves of the Oracle? Raziel has dared to betray me?"  
  
"No. Raziel is undeniably loyal to you. He has not yet strayed from you."  
  
"Not yet?" Kain inquired. "So you mean to infer that he shall betray me. What sort of prophet do you claim to be?"  
  
"I do not claim to be a prophet, Kain. You visited the caves. You know what is to become of Raziel, the fate that awaits him."  
  
Kain turned away from Aisha, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. It was true indeed. When Kain had looked into the windows of time, he had hoped to unravel the secrets Aisha had been withholding from him. Instead, Kain had witnessed events that would unfold at some undetermined time in the future. The lord of vampires had initially denied what he foresaw. But this girl seemed to know, and confirm, Kain's vision.  
  
"The Abyss..." he muttered.  
  
"Yes. The Lake of the Dead. The ultimate punishment for the weak and the traitorous. The watery grave that awaits your most loyal son. The excruciating death delivered to him by your hand. And yet, there is nothing you can do to prevent it. There is nothing you can do to change it. The deed has already been set in stone. Resisting your fate is useless."  
  
With every word Aisha spoke, Kain's anger increasingly grew. Her words placed guilt upon Kain's shoulders that he was unwilling to accept. And her claim determining his future further enraged him. Kain's eyes flashed crimson as he leapt over the table towards her. Before Aisha could prepare herself, the vampire grabbed her by her throat and lifted her off her feet. As before in the pillar room in the same situation, Aisha showed no fear.  
  
"My future, is not yet determined, wench."  
  
"You can deny it all you want, Kain. But it shall happen nonetheless. You, Raziel, everyone on Nosgoth are but mere pawns. Your fate is determined completely by one person."  
  
"Tell me who he is! Give me his name!" Kain demanded.  
  
"She created Nosgoth. She created the pillars. She created you. And she can destroy you like she destroyed the pillars."  
  
"Who is she? Where can I find her?"  
  
Kain was becoming increasingly annoyed. His talons clamped down tighter around Aisha's neck. He could feel her weakening pulse beneath his claws. Aisha could barely breathe, but continued to torment him  
  
"Knowledge... of her name... and her location... will do you... no good. You shall... never... find her," she choked.  
  
"Tell me NOW!" Kain demanded with fury.  
  
"It... will do... you... no good," Aisha repeated.  
  
"Insolent bitch!" screamed the vampire lord as he slammed his fist into her stomach.  
  
Aisha's eyes widened in shock. She felt a sharp, burning pain in her stomach. It was far more agonizing than a simple blow. Unable to look down while in Kain's chokehold, she weakly moved her hands towards her stomach. She felt Kain's fist still pushed up against her. But there was something else there... metal. And she could feel a warm, sticky substance on her shirt.  
  
She lifted her left hand up slowly until it was in her eyesight. Blood. Her blood, dripping from her fingertips. And then Kain saw in her eyes the one look he had been unable to provoke until now. Fear. A smug grin spread across the vampire's face with his new achievement. But his victory was short lived.  
  
Looking into her glazed eyes, Kain realized the fear in her eyes was not the result of his actions. Aisha suddenly seemed distant. It was as if her mind was elsewhere. But she was not yet dead. She was not even unconscious. Curious, his grip loosened a bit and she was placed back on her feet. But she still didn't seem to be acknowledging Kain's presence.  
  
As mobility was returned to Aisha's neck, she was able to look down at the wound in her stomach. In her attacker's fist was a dagger - or was it a knife - which had been firmly planted within her. Looking down at her blood soaked clothes, a strange sensation overcame Aisha. She could not help but experience an odd sense of déjà vu. She felt as if she had experienced this before.  
  
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Woohoo! Another chapter finally done. How do you like my evil little cliffhanger, eh? Mwahahaha. Okay, I think the next chapter will explain a lot. And I think there might be one more chapter after that. Actually, it's very likely there will be another chapter after the next one. Anyways, thanks to all for your reviews! I hope to see more of them! 


	5. Very Short Chapter Five

Evil Beneath Innocence  
  
Chapter Five  
  
Aisha stared blankly at the crimson liquid that covered her hands. A strange sensation overcame her. She could only describe it as a bizarre sense of familiarity. The situation she found herself in had happened before somehow. Her brain struggled to recollect the vague memories. Images flashed before her eyes. A man. A knife. Blood. Erik.  
  
...And suddenly it all came back to her.  
  
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As Aisha finished placing the CDRW's on the shelf, she glanced at her watch. Six seventeen. Erik should be back soon. She kneeled down to pull the blank cassette tapes forward on the bottom shelf when she noticed a set of booted feet on her left enter her vision. Figuring it was the customer needing help with something, she looked up.  
  
"Can I help... you?" Aisha inquired, but was met with the sight of a blade in her face.  
  
"Get up," ordered a deep, but shaky, voice.  
  
Aisha complied, slowly rising to her feet, her eyes watching the knife carefully. When she felt the man wasn't about to harm her that immediate moment, she looked into his face. He had pale blue eyes; every so often they would dart around nervously. He had a scar on his left cheek, which was almost hidden by his unshaven facial hair. He was much taller than she, and probably about twice her size. She wouldn't be able to fight him off if he decided to attack her.  
  
"Over to the register. Open it."  
  
The man directed Aisha to the sales counter where she popped open the drawer. She always kept her eye on him and the knife. 'Where was Erik?' she wondered.  
  
"Put the money in one of those bags."  
  
Aisha opened a paper bag and began stuffing bills into it. "There's not much here y'know," she muttered quietly.  
  
The criminal didn't really respond much at first. He seemed to be studying how many bills there truly was. He couldn't get an accurate estimate, considering how quickly Aisha was putting them into the bag. But he figured there was only a few hundred dollars. He wasn't satisfied with the insufficient funds.  
  
"There's a safe, isn't there? Where is it?" he demanded, his nervousness causing his voice to crack. Aisha looked to the crook with her own nervous expression. Indeed there was a safe in a small room behind the storage area.  
  
"Yes, but it's in a locked room-"  
  
"Open it."  
  
"I can't. The manager has the key."  
  
"Then you better find a way to open it."  
  
The man was becoming more hostile by the second. What was she to do? She couldn't break into that room. What was the man going to do when he realized she couldn't open it? The sound of something hitting the ground on her right side disrupted Aisha's thoughts. Simultaneously, she and the crook looked towards the doorway to the stock room. Standing there was Erik, a box of merchandise on the floor at his feet. His face held a look of shock.  
  
The next series of events happened so quickly that most of it seemed a blur. Having not considered Erik's presence a factor in his burglary, the crook panicked and immediately took action with little forethought. Seeing Erik as the greater threat, the thief charged him. The blade came down towards Erik, but thankfully there was a broom within arm's reach. Erik grabbed the broom and used it to shield himself from the criminal's weapon.  
  
With her best friend's life threatened, Aisha reacted instantly and chased after the thief. The knife had glanced off the broom within Erik's hands, but the crook was determined and attempted another slash. Just as he was about to thrust the blade towards Erik, Aisha grabbed the man's left side, trying to pull him away from her friend. Startled by the sudden contact, the thief spun around and pushed the blade forward. Instead of stabbing Erik, he impaled Aisha with the knife.  
  
Aisha froze, her breath caught in her throat. She stared into the crook's unreadable face. His eyes barely held a hint of fear as the realization of his actions dawned on him. A great pain tore up Aisha's body, her stomach felt like it was on fire. She looked down. Blood soaked her stomach. It flowed freely from the wound.  
  
As the blood rushed from Aisha's body and her strength weakening, her head and limbs seemed to be taking on extra weight. But she still managed to lift her head, albeit very slowly. She looked up, passed her attacker, and looked to Erik. Her vision was blurring, but she could still see the unmistakable look of disbelief, shock, and fear etched onto his face.  
  
Then everything became dark.  
  
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Hmmm... To end the chapter here, or not to end the chapter here... That is mine dilemma. I'll go with the eviler choice! (I'm assuming 'eviler' is a word since my spell checker isn't screaming at me.) I shall NOT continue the chapter because I AM EVIL! Muahahahahaha!! I shall now be known as Mikoto "Evil Cliffhanger" Zoku! Bahahahaha! And you will never know the ending to my story! Hahaha!  
  
That is unless, of course, I get some reviews. I'm feeling rather greedy right now, but not ungrateful. I shall not forget my loyal reviewers. Thank you, AquaSword and Concept of a Demon for your reviews. You guys are ever so smart and you know good taste when you see it. Those of you who have perhaps read my story thus far, but not reviewed, I thank you for reading, but I trust you shall review in the future. (I promise a shipload of pointy stabbity thingies at the disposal for those who DO review.)  
  
The smaller turnout for reviews after my last chapter leads me to wonder if perhaps my story is becoming boring. If it is, review anyway and tell me. I don't care, as long as I get some reviews. Anyway, (I don't know if this is good news or bad, you decide) I think this story is only one more chapter away before its conclusion. As it is now going on 4 a.m. and I am about ready to pass out, I shall say thank you for reading, and goodnight. Peace out. 


	6. Chapter Six

Evil Beneath Innocence  
  
Chapter Six  
  
The flashback of the assault in the Electronics and Entertainment store faded from Aisha's mind. She looked up into Kain's face, her sight focusing on his golden eyes. She held a momentary look of shock, once again filling Kain with content. But he noticed the corners of her mouth twitch slightly, as her weakened body tried desperately to display the mirth that played out within her head.  
  
Aisha attempted to speak, but a strangled cough escaped her lips instead of words. Droplets of blood spattered onto Kain's chest, but the vampire paid the crimson specks no heed. His narrowed eyes were locked onto her, silently demanding that she explain her merriment despite being at the brink of death.  
  
"You think... killing me... will change... anything?" she rasped. Kain remained silent. "You... cannot... change fate. You... and Raziel... will both unknowingly... be played..., controlled..., by forces... unknown... to you. Your trials... your tortures... they will share... with you. But... they derive... entertainment from your... suffering. But, in the end... you and Raziel... are nothing."  
  
Kain scrutinized Aisha. She was so close to death, he could smell it's cold, stagnant grasp tightening around her. Blood trickled from her mouth and dripped from her chin. Her eyes were struggling to remain focused on his. Her heartbeat was slowing, barely audible to his sensitive ears as her blood continued to drain from her body.  
  
"It seems your fatal condition has left you delirious, wench. I am the one who holds all the cards. I am the sole individual who possesses control over the fates."  
  
"You still... don't get it. You... have nothing. No control..."  
  
Irritated, Kain thrust the dagger further into Aisha's stomach. Her entire body stiffened with the increased pain. Her face contorted into a visage of tremendous torture. Slowly, the pain ebbed, and she returned her gaze to the vampire's face.   
  
In a calm, yet contemptuous voice, Kain inquired, "No control, eh? It seems I have plenty control over YOUR fate."  
  
"Perhaps," Aisha barely whispered, "but you... are still... deluded. Your life..., your exper...iences..., your... successes..., failures... It... is all... nothing."  
  
"You shall not speak of me, Lord and Master of Nosgoth, in such a trivial manner!"  
  
Aisha continued, ignoring Kain's outrage. "No... matter... what... you do..., what you... say..., it's a... pre...ordained... story...," she spoke so softly, the vampire lord almost couldn't hear her. "The le...gacy... that... is... Kain... is no...thing... more... than—"   
  
Driven by complete rage, Kain thrust the dagger upward into her chest, piercing Aisha's heart. The sudden, fatal movement sent her into instant shock, her eyes widening in horror. Her breath lodged in her chest. She was so weak, she could no longer keep her eyes focused on her assailant. Darkness fogged her vision. Her senses had dulled to the point that she could not feel the pain as death threatened to overtake her.  
  
Aisha weakly lifted her head. Her blank eyes bore into Kain's face. And ever so nimbly, she lifted her bloodstained right hand, and brushed her fingertips against Kain's cold skin. At the brief contact, Kain's mind unwillingly breached Aisha's, and she spoke her last thoughts into his mind.  
  
"The legacy that is Kain, is nothing more than a mere game..."  
  
Kain immediately released Aisha at the sudden intrusion. Her cold, lifeless body fell carelessly to the ground. Motionless, she remained in a pool of her own blood. The vampire lord stepped back from the scene, the look of shock still present on his face. He continued to stare at her lifeless form. Her telepathic words still rang in his head.  
  
'...a mere game…'  
  
The thought brought a sensation within the powerful vampire lord, a sensation he hadn't truly experienced for centuries. Fear. For the first time in eons, Kain was afraid. He believed he held all the cards. He believed he was in complete and utter control. He believed he had everything planned out and going according to HIS plan. What if Aisha was correct? What if he wasn't in control? What if someone else really was playing him like a character in a well-written plot? The sound of the chamber doors opening behind him disturbed him from his thoughts.  
  
"I beg pardon for the intrusion, Milord, but we thought we heard a commotion."  
  
The voice unmistakably belonged to Raziel. Loyal, naïve Raziel. Kain regained his composure and replaced his prior look of doubt with a façade of complacency. He turned to face his first lieutenant and found that not only was he present, but Turel was there as well. Turel. He too, was guilty of the same loyalty Raziel held for their master. So loyal was Turel, that he would betray his elder brother at Kain's command.  
  
"There was no need for you to concern yourselves," Kain calmly replied as he circled around the conference table. "Do not forget who you speak to. There is nothing that can harm me, ruler of Nosgoth."  
  
'Oh, but there is. You try to deny it, but you know it's true, and you can not stop it.'  
  
Kain snapped around at the sound of the voice, Aisha's voice, ringing in his head. He snarled as he looked back in the direction where he body lie, though the table obstructed his view of her. His lieutenants were confused by their master's peculiar behavior. Worry over their sire etched their minds.  
  
"Lord Kain, is something the matter?" Turel boldy inquired.  
  
The vampire lord snapped his attention back to his sons. His teeth remained gritted together as he glared at them. Turel almost visibly flinched at the ire his master directed towards he and Raziel. To his relief, Kain settled himself and passed between them, headed towards the exit.  
  
As he passed by, Kain replied, "I am fine. Now fetch a servant to clean up that mess over there. It disgusts me."  
  
Raziel and Turel silently complied, rounding the table to find the mess that needed cleaning. Upon inspecting the scene, puzzled looks marked their faces.  
  
"Milord..."  
  
Kain had made it to the doorway when Raziel had addressed him. Irritated, he turned on his heels.  
  
"What?"  
  
His sons stammered under his fiery glare. There was obviously something they needed to say, but knew Kain would not be pleased to hear it. Finally, Raziel looked him in the eye.  
  
"Milord, I'm afraid the 'mess' you speak of does not exist. At least, not here anyway. Perhaps, you meant there was a mess elsewhere that needed attention?"  
  
Kain narrowed his eyes a his eldest. "How do you not see the body lying on the ground before you?"  
  
"Master, there is no body here," Turel muttered.  
  
The vampire lord's eyes widened slightly at the declaration. He leapt over the table and stared at the spot he had left Aisha in. All that was there was the dagger he had impaled her with. Her body was gone. Not even a speck of blood remained. He couldn't even pick up the scent of blood, new or old. Inexplicably, she was gone without a trace.  
  
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Aisha stared at her bloody hand. She looked up into the face of the would-be thief with a look of horror on her face. The disbelief of the situation, combined with the loss of blood instantly sent her into shock. Everything went dark as Aisha fainted and collapsed onto the floor of the Electronics and Entertainment store.  
  
Coldness enveloped Aisha's body. She was lying on her back, yet she felt as if she was moving. She could feel something pressed over her face. She opened her eyes. A bright, white light poured into one eye, then the other before it disappeared. Silhouettes of people were around her. It was dark, and Aisha couldn't see very well. Their muffles voices echoed in her head. She couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. She barely noticed the sudden jarring of her body as she was lifted into the ambulance when darkness overcame her once again.  
  
A steady, beeping noise pulled Aisha from her slumber. Opening her eyes, she was blinded at first by the bright halogen lights from above. Within a matter of moments, objects came into focus, and she became aware of her surroundings. She was in a hospital. Aisha tried to sit up, but when she attempted to do so, streaks of pain instantly shot through her abdomen. This bitterly reminded of the wound she had so recently suffered, the wound that was just starting to heal.  
  
Aisha carefully lifted her hospital gown, and looked down at the damage. Just below her ribcage, on the left side, was the blemish that would forever remind her of her ordeal. But it was not the attempted robbery that was on her mind. It was the events that had unfolded on Nosgoth that plagued her. Had she really been there? Or was it all a silly dream? Her attention refocused on the injury, noticing how it was in almost the same spot Kain had stabbed her.  
  
  
  
With her index finger, Aisha carefully traced the wound as it hooked upward ever so slightly towards her sternum. She counted the staples that had been placed in her flesh, holding the wound shut. Seven staples total. How lucky. At the thought, Aisha realized how lucky she truly was. She was very lucky that the knife had missed her vital organs, and extremely lucky she had not bled to death.  
  
  
  
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Aisha had been released from the hospital later that evening. She had come to find out that after she had passed out, Erik had used the opportunity to hit the would-be theif over the head with the broom stick, rendering him unconscious. An emergency phone call and six minutes later, an ambulance and soon thereafter three police cars had arrived.  
  
Aisha had been given some time off from her job to heal from her injuries. She spent most of the time at home recovering. Occasionally, the police would question her about the events of that evening. When she wasn't filling out police reports, Aisha found herself reflecting upon the events that she kept secret to herself.   
  
Her experience in Nosgoth continued to plague her mind. She was almost certain that the events were real. But she could find no way to explain to herself how she could have possibly arrived there. The only logical explanation she could think of was that the entire ordeal had been a dream. A dream that seemed to last three days. A dream that left her wounded exactly the same way her ordeal at her job had left her.  
  
Eventually, she decided it was best not to think too much about it, lest she drive herself insane. She allowed herself to dismiss the events as nothing more than a dream, a stress-induced delusion conjured up inside her subconscious mind. But every so often she would wonder.. What if? What if it had been real?  
  
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Kain stood at the bottom of Moebius' ancient time streaming chamber. The tunnels that wound deep underground that had once been known as the Oracle's Cave. It was here, that Kain had spent the last several nights and days, searching for his answer. To his dismay, he had turned up nothing.  
  
The girl, Aisha, remained an absolute anomaly to him. After Raziel and Turel had entered his council chamber, all traces of the girl had vanished. No body. No blood. Nothing. His lieutenants hadn't even a recollection as to who Aisha was. It was if her entire being never existed on the face of Nosgoth.   
  
Afterward, Kain had retreated to the Oracle's Caves to search for any shred of proof that Aisha was real, and not just a figment of his imagination. But after several days of searching, he had found no such luck. Her final thoughts still intrigued him.  
  
'The legacy that is Kain is nothing more than a mere game.'  
  
Frustrated, angry, and starved, Kain stormed out of the chamber, intent on releasing his fury and sating his thirst on the first unlucky victim he came across. As he embarked upon the cold night, a single thought crossed his mind.  
  
"Perhaps, Aisha, we shall meet again one day. And then, you shall tell me everything."  
  
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That's it! That's the end! It's over! Sorry it took so long! Got caught up with the holidays. Lame excuse, I know. But I wanted to make sure I ended this the way I had planned and I wanted to make sure I was satisfied with it. And writer's block played a huge part in the delay as well. Anyway, I don't know if there's a sequel in the future or not. I haven't really put to much thought into it. Well, leave me some reviews and let me know what you thought of this ficcy. 


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